Walmart Employees Encourage Walk Out Over Store Selling Guns

The U.S. just experienced tremendous bloodshed with two mass shootings this past weekend. The shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio have struck a cord across the nation, as many are now even pushing harder for gun control.

Some Walmart employees are joining the fight with gun control advocates and are encouraging other employees to join their protest.

With the El Paso shooting occuring in a Walmart, gun control advocates are calling for the big box retailer to discontinue the sale of all guns. At least 22 had been killed in the Texas shooting on Saturday.

Thomas Marshall, 23, a Walmart employee based in San Bruno, California, has reached out to fellow Walmart employees this week using internal Walmart Slack channels and email. He is encouraging the workers to take part in a walkout and to sign a petition on Change.org calling for the end of guns and ammunition sales at Walmart stores.

“We are all concerned employees, and Walmart says it values the outlook of its employees,” Marshall said to NBC News. “We feel as if we can make a noticeable difference.”

“If I do wind up getting fired for this, that is a risk I am willing to take,” Marshall said on MSNBC.

Walmart employee Kate Kesner is also helping Marshall in his quest, however both of their accounts were disabled by Walmart after they attempted to organize the protests.

According to Walmart spokesperson Randy Hargrove, half of the 4,700 Walmarts in the United States sell guns and many more sell ammunition.

“There’s been no change to our policy regarding firearms,” Hargrove commented. “Our focus has been on our associates and the entire El Paso community.”

Hargrove confirmed that their accounts had been suspended and would remain suspended until the employees return to work.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and have not been compensated for this article.